torsdag 21. mai 2020

Big wall of Belfast sparks row between residents, city council and China

It’s not quite the Great Wall of China, more of a big wall in Belfast, but large enough to provoke a bitter diplomatic row between residents in one of the city’s most salubrious addresses, the Chinese state and the city council. Belfast city hall has allowed the Chinese consulate to build a security barrier around its headquarters in the affluent Malone area, claiming that Chinese officials have diplomatic immunity from the region’s strict planning laws.

But those living in the upmarket Malone ParkAdelaide Park district have obtained a letter from Northern Ireland’s attorney general assuring them that there is no such immunity for building on land sited within a conservation zone. Residents angry about the council’s decision to ignore normal planning application rules have alleged it is motivated by a desire to entice Chinese economic investment into Northern Ireland at any price.